Investigating wildlife crime
The RSPCA works with partners and police to tackle wildlife crime, bringing those who persecute and exploit wild animals to justice. Learn about common wildlife crimes, how we investigate organised animal cruelty and how you can report wildlife crimes on this page.
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Suspect someone is taking part in wildlife crime?
Call us in confidence on 0300 123 8960 or report it to the police.
What is wildlife crime?
Wildlife crimes like badger digging and baiting, lamping and bird trapping cause huge suffering to wild animals.
Some of these activities date back hundreds of years but have long been illegal. Yet despite this, people still carry out many of these activities for so-called 'sport' and to make money, with bets being placed on the outcomes or, in the case of bird trapping, to sell illegally.
Whatever the reason, animals are always the losers, suffering fear, pain and distress.
Safe from harm
Terrified dogs rescued from illegal baiting
Read how we rescued and rehabilitated terriers Doris and Fern from illegal badger and fox baiting, and brought the man responsible to justice.
Examples of wildlife crime
Crimes against badgers
Badger baiting was outlawed in 1835 but it still continues to this day. It involves digging to find a badger in their sett, then pitting them against dogs (often bull lurcher types) in a fight. The badger may be stunned or restrained so the dog wins. Criminals bet on the outcome and share fights on social media or in private groups online.
Badger digging was banned in 1973, making it a crime to interfere with a badger's sett.
Gangs of 'diggers' use terrier-type dogs to enter a sett and search through underground tunnels to corner a badger and pin them down. The dog barks or a radio transmitter is used to locate them. They dig out the badger and kill the animal themselves or set dogs on it.
Find out more about laws protecting badgers.
Hare coursing
Hare coursing is when gangs find hares (often by trespassing), then set sighthounds like lurchers and greyhounds in pursuit of them. They bet on whether the dog will catch the fleeing hare or whether they will escape.
Tougher legislation to tackle hare coursing was introduced in 2022, but it continues to happen in the countryside. Not only does it cause fear, distress and suffering to hares, it can also lead to the disruption and damage of crops on farmers’ land.
Bird trapping and bird trading
All wild birds in England and Wales are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It’s illegal to catch birds or interfere with nests or eggs, except under licence.
However, there is a large market across the country for trapping and trading wild birds, particularly songbirds like goldfinches and linnets. Trappers use specialist nets and paste glue onto feeders and perches or lure them into traps with feed or fake birds.
Shutting a wild bird in a tiny cage is cruel. They can suffer physically, mentally, and often die shortly after being captured as a result of stress.
Captive-bred wild birds can be sold under strict regulations in the UK, which require fitting the birds with close-fitting leg rings shortly after birth. Bird trappers fit tampered rings to adult wild-caught birds to pass them off as legal, which can result in damaged legs and broken toes.
How we investigate wildlife crime
Our Special Operations Unit (SOU) investigates criminal gangs involved in wildlife crimes like badger baiting and bird trapping.
Using intelligence, uniformed officers and covert activity, we gather evidence to build a case against criminals involved in these cruel activities. Due to their illegal nature, these criminals operate in secret so it often takes many months to build enough evidence to prosecute.
Bringing these criminals to justice means we save dogs from lives of suffering and distress, and protect wildlife from acts of deliberate cruelty.
How you can help us tackle wildlife crime
Due to the illegal nature of these activities, they often take place in private locations or at night, under the cover of darkness. We rely on tip-offs from the public to investigate and bring the animals to safety.
If you suspect someone is involved in wildlife crime, contact the police or call the RSPCA in confidence on 0300 123 8960.
